Abstract
BALB/c mice thymectomized at 3 to 5 days of age were studied to determine if this procedure would result in enhanced susceptibility to infection with Mycobacterium leprae and, if so, whether or not administration of antilymphocyte serum would further increase this susceptibility. The plateau for growth in the footpads of intact mice occurred 4 months after inoculation, whereas in the thymectomized and thymetocomized plus antilymphocyte serum-treated groups the plateau occurred between months 11 and 12 after inoculation. Thymectomy resulted in at least a 10-fold increase in the number of M. leprae found in the footpads. Antilymphocyte serum did not appear to further enhance the M. leprae infection in the thymectomized mice. Although growth of M. leprae in the testes of both intact and thymectomized mice was erratic, the number of organisms reached a higher ceiling in the thymectomized groups. M. leprae harvested from all groups was passaged into intact mice at various intervals after inoculation to test for viability. Viable M. leprae were found at all intervals tested including 22 months after infection in the intact mice, suggesting that a chronic infection occurred that probably lasted during the entire life of the animals.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Fieldsteel A. H., McIntosh A. H. Effect of neonatal thymectomy and antithymocytic serum on susceptibility of rats to mycobacterium leprae infection. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1971 Nov;138(2):408–413. doi: 10.3181/00379727-138-35908. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Gaugas J. M. Enhancing effect of antilymphocytic globulin on human leprosy infection in thymectomized mice. Nature. 1968 Dec 21;220(5173):1246–1248. doi: 10.1038/2201246a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Gray J. G., Monaco A. P., Wood M. L., Russell P. S. Studies on heterologous anti-lymphocyte serum in mice. I. In vitro and in vivo properties. J Immunol. 1966 Feb;96(2):217–228. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- KIRSCHSTEIN R. L., RABSON A. S., PETERS E. A. ONCOGENIC ACTIVITY OF ADENOVIRUS 12 IN THYMECTOMIZED BALB/C AND C3H/HEN MICE. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1964 Oct;117:198–200. doi: 10.3181/00379727-117-29535. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- LAW L. W. THYMUS: ROLE IN RESISTANCE TO POLYOMA VIRUS ONCOGENESIS. Science. 1965 Jan 8;147(3654):164–165. doi: 10.1126/science.147.3654.164. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Lance E. M., Dresser D. W. Antigenicity in mice of antilymphocyte gamma-globulin. Nature. 1967 Jul 29;215(5100):488–490. doi: 10.1038/215488a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Levy L. Prolongation of the lag phase of Mycobacterium leprae by dapsone. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1972 Jan;139(1):263–266. doi: 10.3181/00379727-139-36123. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- PARROTT D. M., EAST J. Role of the thymus in neonatal life. Nature. 1962 Jul 28;195:347–348. doi: 10.1038/195347a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rees R. J. Enhanced susceptibility of thymectomized and irradiated mice to infection with Mycobacterium leprae. Nature. 1966 Aug 6;211(5049):657–658. doi: 10.1038/211657a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rees R. J., Waters M. F., Weddell A. G., Palmer E. Experimental lepromatous leprosy. Nature. 1967 Aug 5;215(5101):599–602. doi: 10.1038/215599a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- SHEPARD C. C., MCRAE D. H. MYCOBACTERIUM LEPRAE IN MICE: MINIMAL INFECTIOUS DOSE, RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STAINING QUALITY AND INFECTIVITY, AND EFFECT OF CORTISONE. J Bacteriol. 1965 Feb;89:365–372. doi: 10.1128/jb.89.2.365-372.1965. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- SHEPARD C. C. Multiplication of Mycobacterium leprae in the foot-pad of the mouse. Int J Lepr. 1962 Jul-Sep;30:291–306. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Shepard C. C., McRae D. H. A method for counting acid-fast bacteria. Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis. 1968 Jan-Mar;36(1):78–82. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]